Common questionCommon question
Do you need a homebuyer education class for down payment assistance?
Short answer
Usually: 2268 of the 2,700-plus programs in the catalog require homebuyer education. They are recorded in 51 states and territories.
By the numbers
programs requiring education
- States and territoriesStates and territories with one
- 51
- Open nationwideOpen nationwide
- 45
- Grants or forgivableGrants or forgivable loans
- 1,080
- Deferred second loansDeferred second loans
- 671
- Ask for a homebuyer classAsk for a homebuyer class
- 2,268
- No first-time ruleNo first-time requirement
- 511
Hey Prescott catalog of 2,000+ programs. Types are as each program record labels them.
What to know
Most accept a course from a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, and many accept an online course. Requirements differ on who must complete it — some programs require every borrower on the loan, others only one. Certificates are generally valid for a limited period, so agencies publish their own expiry rules.
Near you
See programs where you’re buying
Start with a ZIP code, then a few short questions to see every program that matches your answers. No SSN, no credit pull.
State by state
Programs requiring education, leaving out the 45 nationwide programs.51 states and territories have at least one. Each links to that state’s full directory. Counts leave out the 45 nationwide programs that count here, which apply in every state.
| State | Programs requiring education |
|---|---|
| California | 260 |
| Florida | 178 |
| Texas | 114 |
| Colorado | 86 |
| Pennsylvania | 84 |
| Virginia | 80 |
| Maryland | 79 |
| North Carolina | 76 |
| Ohio | 65 |
| Minnesota | 64 |
Questions, answered
Where do these numbers come from?
Hey Prescott maintains a catalog of 2,000+ active down payment assistance programs across all 50 states and DC, each verified against the administering agency’s own published material and carrying the date it was last checked. The counts on this page are drawn from that catalog and refresh as it does.
Is Hey Prescott a lender?
No. Hey Prescott is an educational directory of down payment assistance programs. We list programs and link to official sources; we do not make loans or give individualized lending advice.